The present invention relates to a coin discriminating apparatus used in an automatic vending machine and a money exchange machine.
A conventional coin discriminating apparatus is known wherein a discriminator such as an electronic discriminator or a cradle and a selector for switching paths for coins are arranged in a coin path formed between two plates, and inserted coins are discriminated and stored. In the conventional coin discriminating apparatus of this type, coin paths are formed on a single plane between two plates in units of coin denominations and inserted coins are discriminated and selected by a cradle and stored. Such coin discriminating apparatuses having the cradle or the like for discriminating and selecting coins must have a plurality of coin paths on a single plane in units of coin denominations. Therefore, the conventional coin discriminating apparatus has a large size and cannot be made compact in size.